Pirates of Mobius
by StarLion
Summary: Eggman's looking for treasure at sea, prompting Sonic and the gang to go looking as well. Add in a slightly lost Captain Jack Sparrow trying to commandeer their ship, and watch what happens.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes:

The usual disclaimer - I own nothing of the Sonic world and inhabitants, nor those of the Pirates of the Caribbean world.

And now, welcome to what I do believe is at the time I write this, the one and only Sonic the Hedgehog/Pirates of the Caribbean crossover!  
Of course, if people write more, I'll have to change that, but in time, in time.

This is mostly set, as the name suggests on Mobius. As for Jack, I've decided he's got slightly lost looking for the fountain of youth, because his compass has picked up he wants a ship, which in turn manages to lead him to Mobius.  
Barbossa and the Black Pearl might show up later. I haven't decided yet. You're looking at the start of the idea I had, and it taking form as I write it.

And now, enough of my rambling, and on with the start of the story.

* * *

Sonic couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
"Treasure hunting? Out at sea? Did someone replace Eggman with a fake while I wasn't looking?"  
"At least it's keeping him out of trouble," Tails told him.  
"Yeah, but if it's only him out there, he's gonna have it all to himself."  
"You're not thinking of-"  
"Getting it for ourselves? Why not? Can't go letting him think he's not gonna have to share with us."  
"Sonic, we don't even have a ship."  
"You build one, and I'll help then."  
"You're terrible with tools."  
"Didn't say anything about tools."  
"Better ask the others if they want to help out too, then. Rouge will be interested, no doubt."  
"Already on it," he replied, speeding out and leaving Tails to design their ship. Tails was just as interested, he could tell. He just didn't want to disturb Eggman enough to set him on them again.  
He couldn't resist though – when did they ever let him get away with anything? And stealing treasure, well... better them than him.  
Knuckles, as usual, was dozing at Angel Island. He really needed to get out and about more. He was almost as bad as Shadow for being unsociable, but at least he was a reliable friend.  
"Hey, Knuckle-head! Up for another adventure?"  
"What're you up to this time?"  
"Me? Up to something?"  
"It's quiet, Eggman's not doing anything. So you're probably up to something."  
"Eggman's hunting for treasure at sea."  
"Let him. I prefer the peace we've got for a change."  
"Aw, come on. Don't tell me you're not gonna help us go hunting too."  
"What for? If you want to, go ahead."  
"What if Eggman thinks we're stealing his treasure?"  
Knuckles sighed. "Then you'll have to deal with him, won't you? I'm not interested, Sonic. I want a break from it all for a change."  
"Suit yourself. We just won't cut you a share of whatever we find."  
"Hey, wait up! You never mentioned that."  
"Didn't think you were interested."  
"If you'd told me that, I might have been."  
"Go let your girlfriend know then."  
"She's not my girlfriend."  
"Whatever you say," he grinned back. "If you and Rouge want a share, you gotta help out."  
"Oh, alright. Tails is building a ship, you say?"  
"Probably."  
"I'll be there."  
Sonic left him, already heading on to Shadow's. Knuckles had been easy, but Shadow was going to be a challenge.  
"What's in it for me?" was his first question.  
"Same as everyone else, share of whatever we get."  
"Besides that."  
"What more do you need? It's not like we're gonna be doing anything else."  
"You mean, nothing like maybe boarding Eggman's ship and taking his finds?"  
"Eh, only if he gets in the way. Besides, he doesn't really need it."  
"You're talking piracy, Sonic."  
"No I'm not. I'm just suggesting we take it from him before he uses it for another plan for us to foil."  
"Yeah, when you do that at sea, it's called piracy."  
"He just has to keep out the way then."  
"You'll make me captain then."  
"Actually, Tails has first choice on that. It'll be his ship."  
"First mate."  
"You'll have to talk to the captain about that."  
"So you're recruiting a crew for a ship, without knowing where you'll be on the crew, and not being able to promise anything, even any finds, because you don't know?"  
"It's his ship, not mine. Besides, no doubt he'll have something lying around to find us the stuff."  
Shadow said nothing.  
"If you're not interested, just say so. 'course, I can't see why we'd need a gloomy fake hedgehog out at sea. I just thought I'd ask you out of courtesy."  
"You don't think you need me? I'll show you."  
Shadow left, pulling Sonic outside with him. Sonic knew Shadow wouldn't trust him leaving him in his own home.

Charmy came flying into the Chaotix office, slamming into Vector the way he always did when excited.  
"You won't believe this, you won't believe it!"  
Vector pulled himself up. "Won't believe what?"  
"Tails is going hunting for treasure at sea, and wants a crew for his ship. We could get rich helping them!"  
"There's no guarantee he'll find anything," Espio murmured from his corner, still not opening his eyes.  
"Don't be a spoilsport – I heard Sonic say Eggman's looking as well, so there's gotta be something!"  
"What's the catch?" Vector asked, putting his desk back in some kind of order.  
"Oh, we got to help build the ship and be part of the crew, but everyone's getting a share of whatever gets found. Maybe we'll run into Eggman and get some of his too!"  
"That's called piracy, Charmy," Espio interrupted. "It's wrong."  
"So's Eggman always trying to take over the world, and if he doesn't have any treasure to spend, he can't do it."  
"He's got a point, Espio. Least we can do is find out if Tails will let us on his ship."  
Espio knew the signs. Once Vector had the idea of getting paid into his head, there was no getting it out again.  
"Let's go," he told them shortly, leading them out.  
Tails turned out to be ordering parts ready for use when they got there. He shushed them into silence, finishing the order, then turned to them.  
"Captain Tails, what can I do for you?"  
"Captain?" Vector asked.  
"Well, it's going to be my ship. I assume that's why you're here, right?"  
"Yeah, who told you?"  
"I guessed. Knuckles and Rouge have already offered to come along, Shadow got persuaded by Sonic. I was going to call you, actually."  
"We hear you're offering a slice of what's found to all who help?"  
"It's only fair."  
"What about the first mate?"  
"You're in competition for that one. Sonic, Shadow and Rouge are already trying to get me to pick them."  
"Count me in the running too, then."  
"If I remember right," Espio broke in, "Sonic can't swim. What is he doing coming along?"  
"It was his idea in the first place. He convinced me to build him a ship."  
"Wouldn't that make him captain?"  
"Not on my ship," Tails replied.  
With Tails directing their efforts, organising everything, and checking over the work, their ship was finished in short order. Tails insisted on calling it the Treasure Hunter, but after a brief argument it was shortened to just the Hunter. It resembled an old sailing ship, except with some more modern technology on board.  
Vector, much to Shadow's annoyance, had been awarded the position of first mate because he was a natural leader – his leadership of the Chaotix team proved that. Tails felt he could trust him with the job. Shadow had sulked over it, but admitted that it was better than having Sonic get the job.  
After having lost out on the position and to everyone's surprise, Sonic commandeered the galley, turning out to be a fair cook, something none of them realised he could do.  
Espio took the crow's nest, to keep watch. Tails had insisted it wasn't really necessary, but he'd done it anyway, and got Charmy to join him. Charmy would be able to fly down and let them know what he saw, since Espio almost never raised his voice for anything.  
Knuckles and Rouge provided security, having made the addition of a brig, 'just in case we need it' and also took charge of the ship's armaments.

Jack looked around. There didn't seem to be anyone there.  
He moored his little dinghy up at the docks, and looked over the strange looking ship. It looked perfectly normal, except it wasn't made of wood.  
It'd make a perfect ship for reaching the Fountain of Youth before Barbossa did, he decided, climbing aboard.

"So, where to first?" Vector asked Tails, who'd found out a three-pointed hat to mark his position as captain.  
"Open sea, of course. We'll be able to use some of the equipment I brought aboard to locate places worth looking at."  
There was a clatter outside.  
"Everyone is aboard, right?"  
"Yeah, we're all here."  
"I'll take a look," Knuckles told him, leaving.  
They waited.  
"Hey! What are you doing?" someone's voice cried out. "This is my ship!"  
"I don't think so," Knuckles told the stranger. "You're not the captain."  
"Ah, I beg to differ," the stranger replied. "For I am Captain Jack Sparrow."  
"Never heard of you."  
Tails and the others left the cabin and went on deck. Knuckles was holding an odd looking human against the mast.  
Tails approached.  
"I'm the captain," he said. "And this is my ship. So what are you doing aboard it?"  
"Oh, nothing much. I was commandeering it."  
"You couldn't sail this ship without me. I made it."  
"Oh, a shipwright and a captain? That's a rare thing."  
"Knuckles?"  
"Captain?" he grinned back, already having an idea of what Tails was going to say.  
"Throw him overboard, will you? You can swim, I assume, Captain... Sparrow, wasn't it."  
"Yes, Captain _Jack_ Sparrow. I really don't think you want to be throwing me overboard."  
"Why not?"  
"You don't look like experienced sailors. I, on the other hand, am a well experienced sailor, and can be very useful to you."  
"Prove it."  
Sparrow pushed on of Knuckles' fists aside, and started rummaging in his various pockets. He pulled out a bottle of something, which he took a drink from, then continued.  
A pistol turned up, which he looked at in mock confusion before stowing it away again, then he found a sword bucked to his waist. They looked at him in astonishment.  
"Can't be too careful at sea, you know," he quipped, then continued searching himself.  
He finally pulled out a small black box on a piece of string.  
"This," he proclaimed grandly, "Is why you don't want to throw me overboard."  
"It's a box."  
"Much more. Inside this box is a compass that does not point north."  
"You have a broken compass."  
"No," he replied in a pained tone. "It works just fine, thank you. It points to the thing the owner wants most."  
Tails considered that.  
"Knuckles, if he doesn't hand it over, throw him overboard anyway."  
"Hey, wait! You can't do that!" Sparrow protested.  
"My ship. My rules. You hand it over if you want to stay on board. Oh, and you'll take orders from me, like the rest of the crew."  
"I can't do that, I'm a captain."  
"You're not the captain of my ship, Jack Sparrow."  
"Captain," he insisted.  
"Throw him off."  
Sparrow jumped back, drawing the sword.  
"Now, listen here. I need a ship. You have one, and a crew to boot. I'm looking for something, and I'm going to take this here ship to find it. Savvy?"  
"You hand over the compass, and once we're finished, we'll send you on your way to finding your own treasure. Get it?"  
"You'll hand me the ship?"  
"A ship," Tails corrected. Jack didn't seem to notice the correction.  
"I think we have an accord, then. I want the compass back, mind."  
"Of course you'll get it back."  
"Done, then." He handed the compass over in one hand, and shook Tails hand with the other. He noted it looked somewhat... unclean, and there was a distinctly unpleasant smell about him.  
"You need a shower," Tails commented.  
"Nothing a good rainstorm won't handle next time I'm in one. Are we going?"


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note:

Yes, it's been an age since I got back to this one. Other stories, and a slight lack of ideas plagued me for a while.  
So enjoy this newest addition - I might even have some more soon if I can write it.

* * *

"He's an absolute terror," Rouge told him. "He can't even keep his hands to himself."  
"He's useful though. This compass of his is fascinating. I can't figure out what makes it work."  
"That excuses him enough to stay aboard?"  
"Rouge, didn't you come to me asking to handle security?"  
"Yeah, why?"  
"I'm sure you can handle one man."  
"I've got a bad feeling about him, Tails."  
"Leave the worrying to me."  
"Why you?"  
"That's the nice thing about being at sea," he grinned at her. "You get to leave things like this with your captain and let him do the worrying for you."  
"You're a natural captain, do you know that?"  
"Thanks. Go on back, I'll worry about it for you."  
"Aye, captain," she replied, smirking to herself.  
He returned to his charts and the compass. He'd marked Eggman's last known location, and was now marking their heading. The compass, since leaving port, had pointed steadily north east. Almost the same direction as Eggman was in.  
While he secretly agreed it would indeed be amusing to steal Eggman's finds, and watch the childish fit he'd inevitably throw for it, he also hoped they wouldn't get to that. Both Shadow and Espio had come to him pointing out it was piracy, to which their unexpected extra captain had said, "What's wrong with that?"  
As if on cue from his thinking about it, Jack meandered in, a faint but slightly irritated smirk on his face.  
"Captain Prower," he said, leaning on a table nearby. "I've discovered a dreadful problem with your cook's pantry."  
"Let me guess, you're disappointed there's no rum aboard."  
"Now how would you know a thing like that?"  
"Sonic already told me. You're not drinking aboard my ship."  
"Rum is an essential ingredient in any successful voyage, I'll have you know." He frowned. "Well, not exactly essential, I've managed to do without it once in a while, but it comes in handy when you're trying to do crazy things."  
"And by 'successful voyage' you mean 'being a pirate'."  
"I can't deny what I am," he shrugged. "But you do know of a ship which has loot aboard, and you do have several crewmen who want to... acquire it. Not steal, of course."  
"Because of course, pirates don't steal, they just redistribute their finds," Tails sighed. "Personally, I have no objection to the idea, or to doing it. There's enough reasons. But, you'll agree I'm sure, the captain is responsible for everyone aboard – and not everyone wants to go into piracy, or to get in trouble because of it."  
"You'll have a mutiny on your hands with that attitude, you know."  
"Oh? From my friends? I doubt that. From you? Only if you'd like to go overboard."  
"Neither. Your crew. When one part of the crew disagrees with another, a mutiny is inevitable. I myself... once lost my own ship, the Black Pearl, to my mutinous first mate, after I rather stupidly gave him the chart to the treasure he was after. Not to mention Barbossa later stole my ship again not too long ago, while I was busy in Tortuga."  
"Tortuga?"  
"It's a pirate port, and one of the only free ones left. Never a better place to stop when you want rum, a decent fight with other pirates, and women."  
"You know, I'm starting to agree with Rouge. You're terrible."  
"I know," he grinned. "It's part of me charm, mate."

Espio dozed in the crow's nest. He wasn't expecting to see anything, and even if he did, no doubt one of the various machines Tails had installed would pick it up before him.  
The crow's nest, like the mast it was on, wasn't necessary – sail power wasn't what made the ship work, though the means where there in case they did need it.  
Charmy had long since gotten bored and left him to watch, leaving him alone.  
Well, almost alone.  
"No," he said, before Jack's head had even popped into view.  
"You must have some good mind reading skills to know what I'm going to say before even I do."  
"You're trying to convince me to take up piracy. I can hear you down there, you know. Sonic might agree with you, maybe one or two of the others, but not me."  
"That's rather closed minded of you."  
"The problem with being open minded is that people keep trying to put things in there you don't want."  
"Fair point. But can you honestly say that this... what was his name again?"  
"Robotnik. Or just Eggman."  
"This Robotnik fellow isn't going to use his ill-gotten gains and use whatever he gets from it to annoy you all later on, leaving you thinking, oh, if only we'd listened to that Captain Sparrow none of this would have happened?"  
"Robotnik's plans never work anyway. Doesn't make any difference to me." Jack made no response. "You call what he's doing ill-gotten gains. The same could be used to describe what we'd get from him."  
"Not at all. It's redistribution of the wealth."  
"It's theft, which at sea-"  
"Is piracy, yes, so you keep saying. What's so wrong with being a pirate?"  
"Come back when we return to shore, and I'll have an answer for you."  
"Oh, what an idea. You don't have an answer, do you?"  
"No, but I will if you go away so I can think on it."  
"How about just listening and accepting that there isn't really anything wrong with a pirate. I've even saved people's lives. True, one of them tried to kill me... and one actually did, sort of, but I've still saved them."  
"Sort of?"  
"A technicality. I was stuck in the locker."  
"The locker?"  
"You lot are hopeless when if comes to seafaring lore, aren't you? Davy Jones Locker?"  
"You're right, I don't have a clue what you're talking about."  
"I'll make you a deal. I'll tell you about it, and you open that stubborn mind of yours a little. Savvy?"  
"Oh, alright then," he gave in, leaning back again to get comfortable. If nothing else, he could just sleep through it. Or pretend to.

Knuckles, apparently bored for something to do, went below decks, and found Sonic in the galley, kneading dough. It wasn't the sort of thing you expected to see him do, let alone do it humming faintly to himself as he did so.  
He glanced up as Knuckles joined him, saying, "Bread," as an explanation.  
"Didn't we bring some along?"  
"Yeah, but fresh baked is always better. Besides, I know what's in this for certain, I don't know what might be in the other bread."  
"You're worried over bread?"  
"Nope, just decided to bake some." He offered some dough to Knuckles, who stared to a few moments, then helped knead it himself.  
"That Sparrow come talking to you yet?"  
"Yeah, only for a few and to nick something to eat. You?"  
"He keeps trying to persuade me we should become pirates."  
"What's wrong with that?"  
"You're as bad as he is."  
"It's only Eggman. It's not like we're going after a bank or anything."  
"You two are going to get us into trouble again. First you talk me into coming along with a promise of treasure, now you're talking me into being a pirate."  
"Better us than Eggman."  
"I think I've figured out why you decided to take a place down here."  
"Oh?"  
"Everyone seems to come down here and talk to you about things."  
"Yep. I can tell you more than Tails can about what's going on, and we haven't been a day at sea yet."  
"So what's going on?"  
"Jack's trying to persuade everyone to be pirates, and if Tails won't he'll try and lead a mutiny against him, which won't work, Tails is trying to figure out Jack's compass, you're leaning toward being a pirate, Rouge is undecided so far, and trying to steer clear of Jack because she doesn't trust him, Vector's trying to teach Charmy how to fish, which is a fair feat since he doesn't know all that much about fishing either, and Espio's currently listening to Jack talk about seafaring lore."  
Knuckles handed his dough back, shaking his head. "I don't know how you do it."  
"Oh, easily. People just stop by and talk. Like you are. I don't even have to do anything, but baking keeps me busy."  
"I didn't know you could bake."  
"Always good to know how to make your own food. 'sides, who else knows how to without just slapping one of those frozen ready-meals in a microwave."  
"Yeah, but you do that often."  
"Only when I'm too lazy."  
"Which is often," Knuckles persisted.  
Sonic's reply was drowned out by a loud clanging sound. They shared a look, then Sonic shrugged. Knuckles handed back the dough he'd been given and went up on deck. Tails was already there, but heading below with Rouge, Vector and Charmy in tow.  
An old-style wooden sailing ship with black sails was now not far away, sailing alongside them, though some distance away, and with cannons at the ready. The crew of this ship seemed to be more interested in the side of their ship.  
He went to one side, and glanced down. There was a small dent on the side.  
Knuckles looked up, grinning. He knew what had happened. They'd shot at their ship, and the cannonball had left the dent. His grin seemed to bother the other crew – or maybe he did. They were all human, and there seemed to be a lot of muttering among them.  
Jack landed nearby, having come down from the Crow's Nest to join him.  
"Oh, bugger," he murmured.  
"What?"  
"That's my ship – the Black Pearl. No doubt Barbossa's on it. I doubt he knows I'm here though."  
"And that's a bad thing?"  
"No, mate. His finding out I _am_ here would be a bad thing. I... might have taken something of his."  
"You're a pirate alright," he replied, rolling his eyes skyward.  
"Was there ever any doubt? Where's your captain?"  
"He went below with a few of the others. I imagine we'll find out why-" there was a clanking sound from the side of their ship "- about now."  
It looked like a cannon, but knowing Tails, it probably wasn't.  
Tails came back up on deck, took one look at the Black Pearl, then shouted down, "Fire!"  
The ship rocked slightly with the boom of whatever they just fired. The Pearl rocked, a part of the front suddenly sprouting a circle of small holes. The wood in between the circles held for a few moments, then ponderously fell inwards.  
"Stop blowing holes in my ship!" Sparrow shouted at Tails. "It's got enough of them in it already!"  
"That was a warning shot, to show an idea of what I can do. And it was a successful test, as well. It still needs a little tweaking though."  
"You fired an experimental weapon?" Knuckles asked flatly.  
"The theory was sound, I just hadn't got around to the practical test yet."  
"They're drawing near," Espio called down. "Cannons still ready."  
"Captain Tails," Sparrow said, turning to him. "I'd take it kindly if you'd forget I'm on your ship."  
"Oh? Why's that?"  
"He stole something from Barbossa," Knuckles told him. "And he thinks Barbossa's on the Black Pearl."  
"That's because he is, and I did. I'm not quite sure it's a good idea for him to know I'm here."  
Tails grinned broadly. "I'm sure you won't mind being confined to the brig then – for your own safety, of course. Knuckles, would you show him the way? We wouldn't want him to get lost and find his way to Barbossa, would we?"  
Knuckles didn't answer, instead leading Jack below. He didn't look like it had gone the way he wanted.


	3. Chapter 3

The Pearl drew up alongside their ship, it's crew lining the rails. Or what was left of them – Jack hadn't been wrong when he said there were holes in his ship. It looked like it had seen better days.  
Tails stood with his own crew, Jack excluded, on deck watching. As the ships drew close enough, the Pearl's crew extended a gangplank over. One of them stepped onto it and over. He was a tall man with a scraggly beard, a long coat, a large floppy hat and a monkey on his shoulder.  
"Who among you be the captain of this odd vessel?" he inquired, in an odd accent.  
"That'd be me." Tails replied. "And you are?"  
"Captain Barbossa, an' this be my ship, the Black Pearl."  
"Interesting. I was told it's captain was Jack Sparrow."  
"Aye, it was, but he lingered too long over rum and women in Tortuga, so I took it back from him again. Do ye happen to know him?"  
"We've run across each other before. Would you care to explain the dent in my ship, Captain Barbossa?"  
"A misunderstanding, Captain...?"  
"Prower."  
"Captain Prower. Yer ship be an odd one to me eye. Yours be the second metal ship I've seen."  
"Second?"  
"Aye, the first be just north east of here, an even stranger looking one than your own. It too shot at us, wouldn't even parley."  
"Robotnik," Tails sighed.  
"Beg pardon?"  
"That's the name of the one who built it."  
"You're sailing right for him, don't ye know?"  
"I know."  
"Are ye planning on sending him to the depths?"  
"I wasn't, but everything seems to be trying to make me lately," he replied wryly. "It's looking like I'm going to have to if I want any peace around here."  
"Well now, why don't we come to some kind of accord here?"  
"What do you have in mind?"  
"I plan to loot the ship," Barbossa told him. "But the Pearl can't get close."  
"I've got you. We'll hold it's attention, and you can loot it."  
"Hey, wait a moment Tails," Sonic objected.  
"Oh, hush. I'm sure Barbossa won't mind cutting us a share."  
"Not in the slightest," the pirate grinned back, holding out his hand. Tails shook it.  
"We have an accord then," Tails told him.  
"Only one thing remains, and that be to find the ship."  
"No trouble there." Tails brought out Jack's compass. "It just so happens I know exactly what I want most. And this can lead us right there."  
"So ye really have run across Sparrow then... did he have my charts on him?"  
"Next time I see him I'll have him searched for them. In the meantime..."  
"Aye. Back to the ship with you all," he commanded his men, crossing back over after them. He began barking commands at them almost instantly.  
Tails consulting the compass, then pointed them in the right direction.  
"So that makes us pirates now," Sonic said.  
"No it doesn't. We'll just be distracting them. They're doing the looting, and that makes them the pirates."  
"You're still set on that, aren't you?"  
"Naturally. Everyone below decks with me, and we'll get our own cannons ready to go."

"It's still no," Espio said to the air again.  
"I really wish you'd stop doing that," Jack complained.  
"How did you get out of the brig?"  
"Half-barrel hinges. With the right leverage, it's a simple matter to leave. You were all distracted by Barbossa."  
"I ought to tell Tails, you know."  
"You won't though."  
"How do you know for sure?"  
"You'd miss out on hearing about more seafaring lore."  
"You mean there's more? I thought I dozed through enough of it already. Besides, there's a ship over there."  
Jack looked.  
"What _is_ that?"  
"Probably Robotnik's ship. Is it covered in large, ugly, yellow faces?"  
"I can see a few."  
"It's his then."  
"Something that large can float?"  
Espio glanced up over at it, then returned to leaning on the mast. "I suppose so. You'd have to ask Tails how it manages exactly."  
Robotnik's ship resembled a design he'd used before, for the Egg Carrier. This one design was aimed more for aquatic use evidently. Robots were working the decks, and a variety of them were manning weapons around the ship.  
"Stay here," Espio told Jack. "I want a word with Tails, and someone has to wait here."  
"What's in it for me?"  
"I know where there's rum. I'll bring some back up with me."  
"Done."  
Tails was working belowdecks, on yet another machine. Espio rapped on one side of it with a knuckle.  
"Who's that?"  
"Me."  
"What's bothering you?"  
"You've got a problem."  
"I know."  
"Different one. There are robots on the deck of Eggman's ship. Barbossa and his men aren't going to do much against them."  
"Bugger."  
"You sound like Jack," Espio observed. "I've a solution."  
"What now?"  
"Send Knuckles and Vector to the Black Pearl. They can point out the weak spots and what to aim for."  
"We can't spare anyone, Espio. I need all hands down here when we open fire."  
"So borrow some people from Barbossa then."  
"The Pearl's out of sight while we come up on Eggman's ship, and out of range."  
"Rouge can fly over and explain it to them, and if they agree, there's the smaller support ships we built that can ferry the others there and back."  
Tails thought about it. Or at least appeared to think about it while he worked.

"Captain!"  
"What _now_, Master Ragetti?"  
"There's one of them creatures from that ship flying over. She's coming in from starboard."  
Barbossa picked out his telescope and looked. It was the one who looked like a bat, and was clearly female.  
"Well what are you just standing there for? Get back to yer station."  
"And her?"  
"Send her to me when she lands, of course."  
Sometimes he despaired when it came to Ragetti or Pintel.  
The 'creature' introduced herself as Rouge, and met him in the captain's cabin, away from the crew. She might not be human, but he didn't want the crew getting any ideas about her.  
"To what do I owe the honour of your company, Miss Rouge?"  
"We've hit across a problem."  
"And what be that?"  
"Robotnik's men aren't human, and you'll have trouble harming them without proper knowledge of them."  
"And you're here to give us that?"  
"Me? Goodness no. That's the business of Knuckles and Vector. They're the red and green ones, by the way. They're heading over in one of our boats. Anyway, their trip here to lend a hand with the looting with you, means we're short handed. We were before hand, but at least it was manageable."  
"So let me guess... you'd like to borrow a few good people to man your ship?"  
"Your powers of perception are masterly, Captain Barbossa. Tails tells me we can manage with just two to replace Knuckles and Vector, but wouldn't mind if you could spare a few more to ease things for us."  
"Of course. Master Pintel!" he called out of his cabin. The one eyed pirate joined him. Barbossa spotted Ragetti hiding nearby outside. If you had one, you had the other... still, at least Ragetti had both eyes.  
"You called, captain?"  
"You'n Master Ragetti will be making a trip to Cap'n Tails' ship. Take some of our men with you. They'll be on the guns, not looting, so make sure ye pick people who know how to fire them."  
"Right away," he said, scuttling out quickly to handle it.  
"And what of you?" Barbossa asked Rouge. "Will you be staying?"  
"Much as I'd love to enjoy your company some more, my dear Captain, I'm afraid it'll have to wait until after the pirating is done."  
"I look forward to it," he grinned back.


	4. Chapter 4

It was an odd sight, Tails decided, seeing their borrowed crewmen on the deck of his ship, ready to fire the guns just as soon as he said to. It didn't matter that his ship was different, as long as they knew how to do their job, they didn't ask about it or him.  
Robotnik had contacted them, telling them to leave. Naturally, Tails had told him to surrender, and just as naturally, he'd refused. So now his massive carrier was just ahead. The wind was with them now, so he'd ordered full sail and eased off the engines.  
"We're drawing close," Espio called down. "Not much further."  
"Ready on the guns," Tails ordered them all. Several of them sighed. As if they weren't already waiting for the order.  
The ship drew up on the port side. Robots lined the edges, some brandishing weapons, others on weapons on their own deck. They fired first, causing metal booms on the side to come from the side of the ship, making it rock. The hull held steady.  
Tails waited until they were fully alongside, then gave the order.  
Robots were swept off the deck easily by blast after blast. Unlike their ship, the massive hull of Robotnik's ship wasn't as durable, starting to sport massive holes.  
The robots on deck that survived swarmed back again, some trying to cross over. They focused their attention on him.  
"Espio!" he called up. "They're distracted. Send the signal."  
Espio nodded, glancing over his shoulder at Jack, who'd taken shelter up here away from the borrowed crew, so he wouldn't be seen. Jack fired a flare straight up.

"There! That's the signal."  
"Aye," Barbossa agreed. "Full canvas! Get that sail down now! Man those oars, and put your back into it."  
Barbossa took the helm himself. Vector had noted he did that often, preferring the more hands on approach.  
"How long will it take us to reach them?" he asked.  
"Not long," Barbossa replied. "We've a good wind behind us, and the Pearl is known for it's speed."  
"I heard somewhere once that you got killed?" He'd meant to ask about it several times before, but only just now managed it.  
"Aye. Sparrow shot me. I were returned from the land of the dead though. There was a need for me."  
"What was it like? Being dead, I mean."  
"Depends on where and how ye die. If it's at sea, ye'll likely see the Flying Dutchman."  
"I remember hearing about that too, something about Davy Jones."  
"Oh, it used to be his ship, but no more." He handed the wheel to Vector, pulling out a telescope. "There she is. Man the guns, and make ready to board!"  
Knuckles oversaw their preparations for boarding, ensuring they'd know where to strike and what to avoid. Some of them had expressed misgiving about taking orders from this strange creature, but orders were orders.  
Someone handed him a rope, but he brushed it aside.  
"I won't be needing it," Knuckles told them.  
"Aren't you going?"  
"Naturally. I just don't need it."  
The Black Pearl came up on the opposite side to Tails' ship. The trail of destruction along the deck was mute evidence of his attack.  
"Excuse me captain," Vector said to Barbossa. "I wouldn't want to miss the fun."  
"Take what ye can," the captain replied.  
"Give nothing back," Vector answered, having heard this before.  
Knuckles lead the attack, gliding easily over, with the crew of the Pearl not far behind on the ropes. The robots that noticed came to the attack, but they'd taught the crew well. They didn't last long. Robotnik did leave gaping holes in their design, anyway.  
Behind them, the cannons aboard the Pearl opened fire, clearing the last of the robots on deck and starting to make their own holes in the hull.  
As more and more of the robots were defeated, the boarding party moved below decks. Once the storage room had been found, the amount of loot coming back was substantial.  
At the far end of the ship, Tails' vessel was already powering up engines and drawing off.

"Sure ye won't reconsider, Captain Tails?"  
"Thanks for the offer, but I'd rather not go into that sort of thing."  
"I understand fully," Barbossa nodded, clapping a hand heavily on one shoulder. "If you happen to change your mind, just look for my ship."  
Tails nodded himself, watching as Barbossa and his crew disembarked his ship into the port of Tortuga. They'd sailed here together to split their loot and spend it 'somewhere worthwhile'. While pirates might find it worthwhile, Tails had his misgivings about the place. Shadow had ignored this and gone on in anyway with Sonic not far behind, looking for supplies. This left Tails to wait for them.  
Something occurred to him, and he fetched Sparrow's compass from his cabin. It still pointed directly into Tortuga, something that had been bothering him ever since they'd pointed their ships toward the place. Sparrow had described it to him on their way there.  
"Vector!" he called.  
"Aye captain?" he asked, poking his head around the door.  
"I'm going ashore for a bit. You're in charge until I get back. Don't let Jack off the ship, and don't let anyone else off without good reason."  
"What are you going looking for?"  
"Whatever this is telling me I want," he replied. "I don't know what it is, but if Jack's right, apparently I want it most."  
"Interesting. Well, you're the boss. Just let me know when you get back."  
Tails nodded, leaving the cabin and leaping down onto the wooden pier they'd moored up at and following it into the port.  
He tried to ignore some of the less pleasant smells that came from it, along with the many strange looks he got. There were a lot of people drunk or drinking, and not a few people brawling. Given their frequency here, he took advantage of an unconscious pirate and stole his sword – for his own protection.  
The compass pointed him further into Tortuga, until he came across an unexpected, yet familiar sight – a workshop, not unlike his own, but considerably less advanced.  
It appeared abandoned at first. He looked about, seeing unusual devices even to him. One stuck out, hung on a back wall. It looked like a dragonfly, but larger and made from various metal parts, cogs and other pre-electrical machinery.  
Tails examined the compass once more, moving around it just to be sure. This was definitely what it had pointed to.  
"It's a device that's meant to fly by itself," someone behind him said. "I've never managed to make it work."  
"You're using materials that are too heavy," Tails replied.  
"Aye. But there's nothing else I can use, so I'm trying to give more power to the machine." A human pushed past him, and removed a panel. "I call it steam power," the human explained. "I make a fire in here," he pointed at one part of it, "and have it heat up water, which turns to steam, and flows through these pipes to power the parts. I can't make it produce enough power to stay airbourne though."  
"You might want to give some thought to using that power for other things, I think."  
"That's what I've been doing. It's good for big stuff, but not really for smaller things."  
"I know, I once experimented with it myself. I had to stop though."  
"People didn't like what you were doing?"  
"Something like that."  
"That's what I kept getting, until I moved here. No one really cares what I do here, which means I can work on anything I want."  
"Useful," he murmured, slightly distracted by some ideas it had inspired him with. "Would you mind if I took this with me? Sort of something to remember here by?"  
"Please, do take it. Maybe you'll be able to make it fly."  
"Oh, I'm sure, but I think it might have other uses too."  
"Good luck with that."

Shadow helped Tails get the strange dragonfly device aboard and into his cabin safely, then while they were taking a break from carrying the heavy machine on board, he took the opportunity to let him know something.  
"You know how we got here?" he asked Tails.  
"We followed the Pearl."  
"Yeah, well, I had a look at your navigation computer's logs of how we got here. By it's map, Tortuga doesn't exist. By a map I acquired while in Tortuga, nowhere we know exists. If we follow the exact same route back, we might end up home, or..."  
"We might end up lost."  
"Right. Sonic says we don't have supplies to do that, so Vector let him go get some more. Oh, and Jack found some rum."  
"Where?"  
"Apparently, someone among our crew smuggled some on board – before we even left your workshop."  
"What? Who?"  
"I don't know. I do know one thing though – we ought to deal with our unwanted guest before we leave."  
"That could be a problem... we could use his compass to find our way back."  
"And let him loose in our own seas instead of these home seas?"  
"Mmm. Not a good idea. His dinghy is still in the cargo hold, right?"  
"Yeah."  
"Put it in the water at the end of the pier," he ordered. "I've got a little surprise to give mister Sparrow."  
Shadow said nothing, leaving. He already knew what the surprise was.  
Tails now flew up to the crow's nest, where Jack was trying to spy on the Black Pearl surreptitiously.  
"You could let me off the ship," he told Tails accusingly. "Then I could get my ship back."  
"I could, but... oh, look," he said, pointing out at it. "It seems to be leaving anyway."  
"You know, you still have your side of our accord to hold up."  
"Why, so I do. Why don't you come with me, and we'll handle that?"  
"I thought you'd never ask."  
Jack followed him down, heading for the captain's cabin. He looked surprised when Tails left the ship instead.  
"Where are we going?"  
"Your ship," Tails replied. "I believe this is it?"  
"That... is a dingy. That," he gestured at Tails' ship, "Is a ship."  
"Oh, indeed. My ship."  
"We agreed. You were going to give me the ship."  
"A ship," Tails corrected. "And there it is. I say it's a ship, and I'm giving it back to you, Jack Sparrow."  
"Captain!"  
"_Captain_ Jack Sparrow," he corrected himself. "Oh, yes. I also have your compass, don't I?" Tails handed it over to him. "Have a good voyage, won't you?" he told Jack pleasantly, heading back to his own ship. "Vector!" he called up. "Are we ready to leave?"  
"As soon as you're on board!" Vector called back.  
"Pull in the gangplank!" he shouted, taking off and flying to the deck.  
"Bugger," was Jack's only comment.

Sonic sat once more in the galley, cooking them all some dinner. Knuckles and Rouge were already sat dozing at the table, everyone else was still on deck.  
"I'm telling you, it'll turn out fine," Tails' voice came from the steps to the deck.  
"The stars don't match, Tails," Shadow's voice replied. "None of the landmarks that we should have passed are there. Eggman's cruiser should still be there, but it's gone. We're lost."  
"We're not at the end of the route yet, Shadow. We'll get back alright," he insisted, coming into view and taking a seat.  
"Shadow's right," Espio told him, following him. "I've been up in the crow's nest for nearly the whole time. We're definitely not in any known waters."  
"Why are you ganging up against me?"  
"Because you're wrong," Vector told him bluntly, he and Charmy joining them.  
Their entire crew, small as it was, were all here. Sonic began to finish preparing the meals, still listening.  
"You ought to listen to them, Tails," Vector continued. "Unless we see something familiar soon, we'll have to admit that we're lost."  
"Fine," Tails snapped. "You tell me, Vector – what should we be doing? Going back to Tortuga and stealing Jack's compass again? Find the Black Pearl and go pirating again? Unless anyone has a better idea, this is about the only thing we can do."  
"Don't be like that. It's not your fault any more than it is ours. Just don't be so adamant that it'll be fine, because otherwise when you find out it's not, people are likely to throw it back at you."  
"Well then don't complain at me that it's wrong if there's nothing else that can be done," Tails sulked.  
"Food's up. Come and get it," Sonic announced. "While it's still hot. Just ask if you want a drink."  
The effect of this was surprising. The hostility in the room vanished instantly, the argument forgotten just as quickly. Knuckles and Rouge were awake almost as soon as the word 'food' had been spoken. Everyone's focus was on the food he'd prepared for them.  
He grinned to himself as they sat down to eat. He'd eaten before them all, in both tasting the food and snacking on his own, and so was left free to handle the drinks. Not that there were many requests for them.  
Jack had persuaded him to part with the rum he'd stashed on board before they'd left. Jack had made an agreement with Sonic. He had provided a distraction before they'd departed Tails' workshop, and Sonic took advantage of it to get him the rum.  
When they'd stopped in Tortuga, Sonic had taken advantage of it to slip off the ship and exchange the rum that Jack hadn't drunk for some supplies, mostly fresher food than what they had. Judging by the compliments the others were giving him on his food, they appreciated it, though he had a feeling Tails probably wouldn't if he found out it was him that had brought the rum aboard.


	5. Chapter 5

It was late, and dark. Everyone else was sleeping, leaving Knuckles on deck as their night guard. Rouge was in Tails' cabin, keeping watch on their course.  
"Well, this is it," she said, keeping her voice low. "This is meant to be the workshop."  
"Looks like everyone was right."  
"Should we break the bad news to him?"  
"Let them sleep. A few hours won't make a difference." Knuckles was silent for a few moments, then, "You too. You could do with it."  
"I can get by," she objected. "I'm used to short sleep."  
"You need some sleep, Rouge. I can tell. I can handle things, don't worry."  
"Maybe you're not as bone-headed as you look," she teased, leaving.  
"True love," someone said behind him. "A rare thing."  
Knuckles turned, seeing a human who bore a similar look to Jack.  
"You're a pirate."  
"Was. I don't do it anymore. I've got other duties."  
"A pirate with duties?"  
"You'd be surprised. Don't worry. I'm here to help you. You've heard of me."  
"I have?"  
"Aye. Captain of the Flying Dutchman?"  
"Jack mentioned you. Ferrying souls to the next world."  
"And guiding the lost back to safe ports. You're not meant to be in these waters."  
"Tell Tails that. He's the one who knows how to sail this thing."  
"All you need is to drop sail and follow the wind."  
"And what do I tell him when he wakes up?"  
"Whatever you like. I'll be watching. Don't take any side trips until you're in familiar waters."  
He waved a hand, and caught a rope swung to him, jumping up and swinging back to the shadow of another ship not far away. It had no running lights on it, leaving it a shadow as it seemed to sink down into the waters.  
Knuckles considered this, and what he knew of this captain from Sparrow, then climbed the mast and dropped the sails. They bellied out with the wind, but not fully, leaving him to use the ship's wheel to head into the wind.

"_Why_ are the sails down, Knuckles?"  
"They're getting us home."  
"How, exactly?"  
"Generally, sails work by wind blowing into them," he replied blithely. Tails stared him down. "I had some advice from a visitor during the night."  
"From who, the Flying Dutchman?"  
"How did you know?"  
"You mean it really was the Flying Dutchman?"  
"I assume so. The guy who came over said he was it's captain."  
"You let him on board?"  
"He came aboard by himself, and left right after. I think I can get his attention if you want to see him."  
"Go ahead. Vector can take the wheel."  
"Why me?" Vector asked.  
"You're the first mate," Tails shrugged. "Keep us facing the same way as the wind."  
Tails followed Knuckles to the rail, where the Echidna shouted out to sea, "Hey, Captain Turner! You told me you were watching, so come on out and..." he trailed off, "... prove it." The waters nearby erupted, another sailing ship bursting forth from the depths. It's sail seemed almost like it was made from seaweed.  
Aboard were just two people. Knuckles recognised one of them, who took a rope and swung over.  
"You don't need to shout," he told Knuckles, then turned to Tails. "Captain," he nodded.  
"Is it true?" Tails asked him without preamble.  
"That depends on what you mean. Am I the captain of the Flying Dutchman? Yes, that's true."  
"How about what you told Knuckles?"  
"That's also true. You're not there yet, but you're on the way. Just keep following the wind."  
"If it holds."  
"It'll hold. I guarantee it."  
"You can control the weather?"  
"Something like that. Keep following it, and it'll guide you back."  
"What about you?"  
"What about me?"  
"What do you plan to do?"  
"Make sure you get back where you're meant to be, then go back to the duty. If you'll excuse me captain, I'm going to return to my ship." He paused, catching a rope thrown to him. "There's another ship coming incidentally. The Royal Navy's Interceptor. She's a bit faster than your ship with the wind."  
"What do they want?"  
"You'll have to ask them that," Turner told them, swinging back. The Dutchman sank back into the seas yet again.  
Tails went up to the back of the ship, pulled out a telescope of his own and looked. Sure enough, there was another sailing ship headed for them in bright yellow and blue. She had white sails, and flew an unfamiliar flag.  
"Trouble?" Vector asked.  
"Another ship. Coming fast."  
"Should we turn on the engines?"  
"No. We don't know if it'll affect our getting home." He turned, looked at the sails, and thought. "I don't think I can get anything more out of the sails. I know a few tricks, but nothing that'll improve our speed by much."  
"What are you thinking?"  
"I'm thinking we have two options. Hope they're friendly, let them come aside and find out what they want..."  
"Or?" Vector prompted.  
"Or we fight."  
"Better to be prepared for both cases."  
"I know. We don't have a flag to fly though, and if they see us running without a flag, they might mistake our own intentions."  
"There is a flag, actually. While Jack was aboard, he and Rouge fashioned a skull and crossbones one."  
"I should have known." He thought some more, then joined Espio. "Keep an eye on that ship," he told the chameleon. "I want to know what their intentions are before they get too close."  
"How close is too close?"  
"Weapons range. Will you need this?" he showed the telescope.  
"No. I've got sharp eyes. What are you planning to do?"  
"If they're peaceful, I'll talk. If they show hostility, I'm going to raise our pirate flag and send them to the depths."  
"We have a pirate flag?"  
"Jack made it."  
"Why am I not surprised?"  
"Because it's Jack we're talking about. Keep watch."  
"Of course."

It was early afternoon when Charmy came down to Tails.  
"Espio says they've got guns sticking out, and men with guns along the deck."  
"How long until they reach us?" Vector asked, still manning the wheel.  
"Probably not long."  
"Find me something white," Tails said. "Quickly."  
"What are you planning?"  
"If there's one thing I've learned from Jack, is that's negotiating out of things works well. I'm going to go over on a flag of truce and parley."  
"They're not pirates, Tails. You can't guarantee they'll honour the code."  
"We're not pirates either, Vector. If they don't honour parley, they'll at least honour the truce."  
"You think."  
"Stop being depressing," he told Vector, taking a bit of sailcloth. "Not perfect but it'll do. Tell Espio to be ready. He knows what for."  
Tails took off, making sure the cloth was in clear view as he approached the Interceptor. Weapons were pointed his way as he landed on the main deck, but none were fired.  
"Parley," he stated firmly as he landed.  
"What?"  
"I said parley. Where's your captain?"  
"I'm in command of this vessel," a tall man in blue said. "And you are?"  
"Captain Prower of the Hunter. The ship you're coming after. I want to know what you want."  
"You and your crew. You aided known pirates and committed an act of piracy. We watched you and the Black Pearl open fire and board another vessel."  
"So?"  
"Are you aware that piracy is a crime?"  
"You know, I do believe you're right. The ship in question would have fired on both the Hunter and the Pearl if we hadn't worked together on it."  
"That does not justify piracy. You have an appointment with the hangman's noose."  
"I see. I trust you'll honour this so I can inform my crew?" he asked, holding up the cloth.  
"And what will you... inform them."  
"That we're being detained pending a fair trial for acts of piracy, and to stand down to allow you to commandeer our vessel," he answered, telling a blatant lie without giving it away. "You'll know we're done when we raise our flag."  
"Done then. We'll be seeing you shortly, Captain Prower."  
"So it seems," Tails answered with a bright grin, then headed back to his own ship.  
"Well?" Vector asked as he landed.  
"We're going to be boarded, arrested and taken to be hung for being and aiding pirates. Naturally, I don't intend to let it happen." He took to the rail in front of the wheel and called up to Espio, "Hoist the colours!" and then to the others, "Man the guns. Load them and prepare to open fire."  
There was a mass of clanking as their own gun ports were opened and cannons pushed out. Espio watched from the Crow's Nest, then when it was clear preparations were made he hoisted their pirate flag. Naturally, it was black with the white skull and crossbones.  
Tails turned back to the pursuing Interceptor and looked through the telescope again. The consternation on the captain's face was clear. He hadn't expected to be crossed.  
"Hard to port!" he ordered. "We'll teach them not to cross pirates lightly!"  
"I thought we weren't pirates," Vector murmured, swinging the wheel around.  
"We weren't before. Now we are. We'll be home before long, and it'd be a shame not to indulge ourselves just a little, wouldn't you say?"  
"Aye, captain," Vector agreed with a nasty grin.  
Against the wind they slowed considerably, but Tails showed some unexpected tricks with the sails that kept them going at only a slight cost to their speed.  
The Interceptor dropped some sail, intending to draw alongside. Tails had other ideas.  
"Get ready to pull away from them," he told Vector. "As soon as our first shots are away, we'll swing around and hit their other side."  
"That's a fair curve to get around," Vector warned.  
"I've every confidence in your navigational skills," Tails replied, jumping down to the hatch for belowdecks. He stayed near the rail for as long as he dared, then took cover, guessed how long and gave the order to fire.  
The effect was devastating on the Interceptor. It had not been built with Tails' ship in mind, and the more modern cannons tore through the ship, sending splinters and cannons flying. A cacophony of clanging was evidence of their shots fired at them.  
Vector ducked down behind the wheel, taking as much cover as possible as the crew of the Interceptor – those still able to – opened fire.  
The ship heaved as they swung back the other way. Tails joined the others in manning the guns on the other side, making them ready.  
The second volley wreaked even more carnage, crippling the ship badly. It was deemed unnecessary to continue, and the sails were reset, allowing them to return to their original course following the wind.


End file.
